What do you think One means?

Ed Sheeran: One Meaning

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Album cover for One album cover

One Lyrics

Tell me that you turned down the man
who asked for your hand
cause you're waiting for me
and I know you're gonna be away a while
but I've have no plans at all to leave
and will you take away my hopes and dreams
and just stay with...

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  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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     Jul 25th 2014 !⃝

    This song speaks about a lost love due to distance. A woman whom he might have actually left in pursuit of his personal dreams but who actually meant a lot but unfortunately, the realization came at that point when he was about to lose that love to another man who already proposed marriage. The gravity of loss was emphasized in the lyrics "all my senses came to life as im stumbling home as drunk as i, had ever been". However, he wanted her to remain his friend despite the loss. Because for him he realized her worth as his only one, too late. So he's settling for the idea that she would remain even just as a friend xoz there's no other who could replace her in his heart.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Mar 20th 2015 !⃝

    This song is a sad love song about losing the person you love due to distance . And knowing you can't be with them due to circumstances beyond your control. He actually looked forward to waiting for her but eventually life catches up with you in matters of the heart. He talks about how lonely he could get and how everything would change without her in his life. I relate to this song on so many levels. :) one of my faves

  3. MahiwagaXGleen
    click a star to vote
     Feb 19th 2021 !⃝

    For me, the first verse talks about a distant love. The woman cheated/fell out of love (it just depends on your perception as a reader). It is a relationship that was torn apart by distance and a third-party issue.

    “Tell me that you'll turned down the man who asks for your hand 'cause you're waiting for me.”

    That’s the hope of all who are in a long distance relationship. That everyone who dares to make their partner fell in love with them will be turned down.

    “And I know, you're gonna be away a while, but I've got no plans at all to leave.

    False hope. Denial. That maybe she just needs some time to breath and she’ll come back, but in reality she ain’t coming back. That maybe if he stayed she’ll comeback.

    “And would you take away my hopes and dreams? And just stay with me.”

    Maybe for me, this hits me in a different way. She had all the hopes and dreams of the guy. The guys sees the woman in his future — where they’re together achieving their goals together. That would she be away and take all of them or just stay with him for the rest of his life. For me it’s not a statement, it’s more of a choice.

    “All my senses come to life while I'm stumbling home as drunk as I have ever been, and I'll never leave again. 'Cause you are the only one.”

    This was the emphasis of what he had lost; his ‘only one’. This was the realizations that even how hard you try to forget with alcohol, it will always haunt you. He’ll never leave again, he wants to stay with her, no plans of moving on.

    “And all my friends have gone to find another place to let their hearts collide.”

    This part is when the guy tells us that he can’t move on with that loss he had. That all of his friends were out there, dating, enjoying things with someone but he, he is still grieving.

    “Just promise me, you'll never leave again. 'Cause you are the only one.”

    This part feels so bad. I felt the pain in here. ‘Cause even the girl fell out of love/cheated on her (might be one of those) he is ready to accept her just the girl will promise that she will never leave again.

    “Take my hand and my heart, and soul. I will only have these eyes for you. And you know, everything changes, but we’ll be strangers if, we see this through. You could stay within these walls and bleed, or just stay with me, oh Lord now.”

    It’s where acceptance is beginning to happen. That he just lets his hands, heart, and soul be taken away. His eyes or love will be on her always but he accepts the fact that they’ve changed. That they can’t do whatever they are doing before. That it’s not the same anymore. They’d be strangers if they’ll be carried away by hatred. The guys looks forward to be in good terms with the girl. Full of love, not hatred. Stay within the walls of hatred or stay with him even it’s not the same anymore.

    “...you’ll always be a friend.”

    The acceptance.

    “Stumbling half drunk, getting myself lost. I am so gone, so tell me the way home. I listen to sad songs, singing about love, And where it goes wrong?”

    Even he accepted the fact that they can’t be together. He’s still questioning when and where do I start again? This love gave me sadness (referred to ‘I listen to love songs, singing about love.’) The ultimate question is, ‘where it goes wrong?’ Almost all of the people that got through break-ups, it is the question asked, “Where it goes wrong?”

    So, all in all, the song talks about how hard it is to let go, to move on, to accept that everything changes, and to start all over again without the person that you settled for.



  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Aug 18th 2018 !⃝

    To me, it means that he lost someone he loves. Deeply. Pain and distance took them to different ends of the earth. Yet he can still feel her entirety in his heart and soul. Because she is the only one. And “always be a friend” to me; means the undoubtedly respect he did and will continue to have for her. Which is rarity in its own right. Because to have a true and authentic friend is a specialness in of itself.

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
     Mar 11th 2016 !⃝

    This songs talks about a girl who asked to be married and he his telling her that she is unique and she would be the only one in her life and she so important.

  6. anonymous
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     Aug 5th 2015 !⃝

    This describes a love that went sour. In the years since, he has not moved on but she has. He has wasted his life drinking and wishing. The crushing revelation of a proposal has just hit him. In desperation, he confessess his love but finds that she is resolute. Knowing that his chances are gone, he begs her to at least remain friends.

  7. anonymous
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     May 2nd 2015 !⃝

    This song is about a break up with a lover or friend and it states that you cant lose them because... They are they only one. Unique, theres no one like that friend.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  8. anonymous
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     Apr 12th 2015 !⃝

    I think it's more about he falls in love with his best friend, but doesn't have enough courage to tell the person about his feeling because he is afraid that he'll ruin their friendship..


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